1 Peter 1-5

New American Standard Bible

A Living Hope and a Sure Salvation

1 ^(A)Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who reside as ^(B)strangers, ^(C)scattered throughout ^(D)Pontus, ^(E)Galatia, ^(F)Cappadocia, ^(G)Asia, and ^(H)Bithynia, ^(I)who are chosen ²according to the ^(J)foreknowledge of God the Father, ^(K)by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, ^[a]to ^(L)obey Jesus Christ and be ^(M)sprinkled with His blood: ^(N)May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

³^(O)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who ^(P)according to His great mercy ^(Q)has caused us to be born again to ^(R)a living hope through the ^(S)resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴to obtain an ^(T)inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and ^(U)will not fade away, ^(V)reserved in heaven for you, ⁵who are ^(W)protected by the power of God ^(X)through faith for ^(Y)a salvation ready ^(Z)to be revealed in the last time. ⁶^(AA)In this you greatly rejoice, even though now ^(AB)for a little while, ^(AC)if necessary, you have been distressed by ^(AD)various ^[b]trials, ⁷so that the ^[c]^(AE)proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes ^(AF)though tested by fire, ^(AG)may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at ^(AH)the revelation of Jesus Christ; ⁸and ^(AI)though you have not seen Him, you ^(AJ)love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and ^[d]full of glory, ⁹obtaining as ^(AK)the outcome of your faith, the salvation of ^[e]your souls.

¹⁰^(AL)As to this salvation, the prophets who ^(AM)prophesied of the ^(AN)grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, ¹¹^[f]seeking to know what person or time ^(AO)the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He ^(AP)predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories ^[g]to follow. ¹²It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who ^(AQ)preached the gospel to you by ^(AR)the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which ^(AS)angels long to ^[h]look.

¹³Therefore, ^[i]^(AT)prepare your minds for action, ^[j]^(AU)keep sober in spirit, set your ^(AV)hope completely on the ^(AW)grace to be brought to you at ^(AX)the revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹⁴As ^[k]^(AY)obedient children, do not ^[l]^(AZ)be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ^(BA)ignorance, ¹⁵but ^[m]^(BB)like the Holy One who called you, ^[n]^(BC)be holy yourselves also ^(BD)in all your behavior; ¹⁶because it is written: “^(BE)You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

¹⁷If you ^(BF)address as Father the One who ^(BG)impartially ^(BH)judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves ^(BI)in fear during the time of your ^(BJ)stay on earth; ¹⁸knowing that you were not ^[o]^(BK)redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your ^(BL)futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, ¹⁹but with precious ^(BM)blood, as of a ^(BN)lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. ²⁰For He was ^(BO)foreknown before ^(BP)the foundation of the world, but has ^(BQ)appeared ^[p]in these last times ^(BR)for the sake of you ²¹who through Him are ^(BS)believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and ^(BT)gave Him glory, so that your faith and ^(BU)hope are in God.

²²Since you have ^(BV)purified your souls ^(BW)in obedience to the truth for a ^(BX)sincere love of the brothers and sisters, fervently love one another from ^[q]the heart, ²³for you have been ^(BY)born again ^(BZ)not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring ^(CA)word of God. ²⁴For,

“^(CB)All flesh is like grass,
And all its glory is like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
And the flower falls off,
²⁵^(CC)But the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is ^(CD)the word which was ^[r]preached to you.

As Newborn Babes

2 Therefore, ^(CE)rid yourselves of all ^[s]malice and all deceit and ^[t]hypocrisy and ^[u]envy and all ^[v]^(CF)slander, ²^(CG)and like newborn babies, long for the ^[w]^(CH)pure ^[x]milk of the word, so that by it you may ^(CI)grow ^[y]in respect to salvation, ³if you have ^(CJ)tasted ^[z]^(CK)the kindness of the Lord.

As Living Stones

⁴And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been ^(CL)rejected by people, but is ^[aa]choice and precious in the sight of God, ⁵^(CM)you also, as living stones, ^[ab]are being built up as a ^(CN)spiritual house for a holy ^(CO)priesthood, to ^(CP)offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶For this is contained in ^[ac]Scripture:

“^(CQ)Behold, I am laying in Zion a choice stone, a ^(CR)precious cornerstone,
And the one who believes in ^[ad]Him will not be ^[ae]put to shame.”

⁷^(CS)This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for unbelievers,

“^(CT)A stone which the builders ^(CU)rejected,
This became the ^[af]chief cornerstone,”

⁸and,

“^(CV)A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”;

^(CW)for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, ^(CX)and to this they were also appointed.

⁹But you are ^(CY)a chosen people, a royal ^(CZ)priesthood, a ^(DA)holy nation, ^(DB)a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you ^(DC)out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰^(DD)for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

¹¹^(DE)Beloved, ^(DF)I urge you as ^(DG)foreigners and strangers to abstain from ^(DH)fleshly lusts, which wage ^(DI)war against the soul. ¹²^(DJ)Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they ^(DK)slander you as evildoers, they may ^[ag]because of your good deeds, as they observe them, ^(DL)glorify God ^(DM)on the day of ^[ah]visitation.

Honor Authority

¹³^(DN)Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, ¹⁴or to governors as sent ^[ai]by him ^(DO)for the punishment of evildoers and the ^(DP)praise of those who do right. ¹⁵For ^[aj]^(DQ)such is the will of God, that by doing right you ^(DR)silence the ignorance of foolish people. ¹⁶Act as ^(DS)free people, and ^[ak]do not use your freedom as a ^[al]covering for evil, but use it as ^(DT)bond-servants of God. ¹⁷^(DU)Honor all people, ^(DV)love the brotherhood, ^(DW)fear God, ^(DX)honor the ^[am]king.

¹⁸^(DY)Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and ^(DZ)gentle, but also to those who are ^[an]harsh. ¹⁹For this finds favor, if for the sake of ^(EA)conscience toward God a person endures ^[ao]grief when suffering unjustly. ²⁰For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if ^(EB)when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

Christ Is Our Example

²¹For ^(EC)you have been called for this purpose, ^(ED)because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you ^(EE)an example, so that you would follow in His steps, ²²He who ^(EF)committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; ²³^[ap]and while being ^(EG)abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; ²⁴and He Himself ^[aq]^(EH)brought our sins in His body up on the ^[ar]^(EI)cross, so that we ^(EJ)might die to ^[as]sin and live for righteousness; ^(EK)by His ^[at]wounds you were ^(EL)healed. ²⁵For you were ^(EM)continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the ^(EN)Shepherd and ^[au]Guardian of your souls.

Godly Living

3 ^(EO)In the same way, you wives, ^(EP)be subject to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be ^(EQ)won over without a word by the behavior of their wives, ²as they observe your pure ^[av]and respectful behavior. ³^(ER)Your adornment must not be merely the external—braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or putting on apparel; ⁴but it should be ^(ES)the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. ⁵For in this way the holy women of former times, ^(ET)who hoped in God, also used to adorn themselves, being subject to their own husbands, ⁶just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, ^(EU)calling him lord; and you have proved to be her children if you do what is right ^[aw]^(EV)without being frightened by any fear.

⁷^(EW)You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with ^[ax]^(EX)someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

⁸^[ay]To sum up, ^(EY)all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, ^[az]^(EZ)loving, ^(FA)compassionate, and ^(FB)humble; ⁹^(FC)not returning evil for evil or ^(FD)insult for insult, but giving a ^(FE)blessing instead; for ^(FF)you were called for the very purpose that you would ^(FG)inherit a blessing. ¹⁰For,

“^(FH)The one who desires life, to love and see good days,
Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
¹¹^(FI)He must turn away from evil and do good;
He must seek peace and pursue it.
¹²^(FJ)For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,
And His ears attend to their prayer,
But the face of the Lord is against evildoers.”

¹³^(FK)And who is ^[ba]there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? ¹⁴But even if you should ^(FL)suffer for the sake of righteousness, ^(FM)you ^[bb]are blessed. ^(FN)And do not fear their ^[bc]intimidation, and do not be in dread, ¹⁵but ^[bd]sanctify ^(FO)Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready ^(FP)to make a ^[be]defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the ^(FQ)hope that is in you, but ^(FR)with gentleness and ^(FS)respect; ¹⁶^[bf]and keep a ^(FT)good conscience so that in the thing in which ^(FU)you are slandered, those who disparage your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. ¹⁷For ^(FV)it is better, ^(FW)if ^[bg]God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. ¹⁸For ^(FX)Christ also ^[bh]suffered for sins ^(FY)once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might ^(FZ)bring us to God, having been put to death ^(GA)in the flesh, but made alive ^(GB)in the ^[bi]spirit; ¹⁹in ^[bj]which He also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison, ²⁰who once were disobedient when the ^(GC)patience of God ^(GD)kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of ^(GE)the ark, in which a few, that is, ^(GF)eight ^(GG)persons, were brought safely through the water. ²¹^(GH)Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—^(GI)not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God ^[bk]for a ^(GJ)good conscience—through ^(GK)the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²²^(GL)who is at the right hand of God, ^(GM)having gone into heaven, ^(GN)after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

Keep Fervent in Your Love

4 Therefore, since ^(GO)Christ has ^[bl]suffered in the flesh, ^(GP)arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because ^(GQ)the one who has ^[bm]suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ²^(GR)so as to live ^(GS)the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human lusts, but for the ^(GT)will of God. ³For ^(GU)the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, ^[bn]^(GV)having pursued a course of indecent behavior, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries. ⁴In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them in the same excesses of ^(GW)^[bo]debauchery, and they ^(GX)slander you; ⁵but they will give an account to Him who is ready to judge ^(GY)the living and the dead. ⁶For ^(GZ)the gospel has for this purpose been ^[bp]preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as people, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.

⁷^(HA)The end of all things ^[bq]is near; therefore, ^(HB)be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of ^[br]prayer. ⁸Above all, ^(HC)keep fervent in your love for one another, because ^(HD)love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹^(HE)Be hospitable to one another without ^(HF)complaint. ¹⁰^(HG)As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good ^(HH)stewards of the ^[bs]multifaceted grace of God. ¹¹^(HI)Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking ^(HJ)actual words of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving ^[bt]^(HK)by the strength which God supplies; so that ^(HL)in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, ^(HM)to whom belongs the glory and ^[bu]dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Share the Sufferings of Christ

¹²^(HN)Beloved, do not be surprised at the ^(HO)fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though something strange were happening to you; ¹³but to the degree that you ^(HP)share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the ^(HQ)revelation of His glory ^(HR)you may also rejoice and be overjoyed. ¹⁴If you are insulted ^[bv]^(HS)for the name of Christ, ^(HT)you are blessed, ^(HU)because the Spirit of glory, and of God, rests upon you. ¹⁵Make sure that ^(HV)none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a ^[bw]^(HW)troublesome meddler; ¹⁶but if anyone suffers as a ^(HX)Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to ^(HY)glorify God in this name. ¹⁷For it is time for judgment ^(HZ)to begin ^[bx]with ^(IA)the household of God; and if it ^(IB)begins ^[by]with us first, what will be the outcome for those ^(IC)who do not obey the ^(ID)gospel of God? ¹⁸^(IE)And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, ^[bz]what will become of the ^(IF)godless man and the sinner? ¹⁹Therefore, those also who suffer according to ^(IG)the will of God are to entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.

Serve God Willingly

5 ^(IH)Therefore, I urge elders among you, as your ^(II)fellow elder and a ^(IJ)witness of the sufferings of Christ, and one who is also a ^[ca]^(IK)fellow partaker of the glory that is to be revealed: ²shepherd ^(IL)the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, ^(IM)not under compulsion but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and ^(IN)not ^[cb]with greed but with eagerness; ³nor yet as ^(IO)domineering over ^[cc]those assigned to your care, but by ^[cd]proving to be ^[ce]^(IP)examples to the flock. ⁴And when the Chief ^(IQ)Shepherd appears, you will receive the ^(IR)unfading ^[cf]^(IS)crown of glory. ⁵^(IT)You ^[cg]younger men, likewise, ^(IU)be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with ^(IV)humility toward one another, because ^(IW)God is opposed to the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.

⁶Therefore ^(IX)humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, ⁷having cast all your ^(IY)anxiety on Him, because He cares about you. ⁸^(IZ)Be of sober spirit, ^(JA)be on the alert. Your adversary, ^(JB)the devil, prowls around like a roaring ^(JC)lion, seeking someone to devour. ⁹^[ch]^(JD)So resist him, ^(JE)firm in your faith, knowing that ^(JF)the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your ^[ci]brothers and sisters who are in the world. ¹⁰After you have suffered ^(JG)for a little while, the ^(JH)God of all grace, who ^(JI)called you to His ^(JJ)eternal glory in Christ, will Himself ^(JK)perfect, ^(JL)confirm, strengthen, and establish you. ¹¹^(JM)To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.

¹²Through ^(JN)Silvanus, our faithful brother ^[cj](for so I regard him), ^(JO)I have written to you briefly, ^[ck]exhorting and testifying that this is ^(JP)the true grace of God. ^(JQ)Stand firm in it! ¹³She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, ^(JR)Mark. ¹⁴^(JS)Greet one another with a kiss of love.